Team USA Advances to Olympic Hockey Semifinal After Quinn Hughes’ Overtime Winner
Quinn Hughes lifts the U.S. past Sweden in a dramatic 2–1 overtime win to reach the final four in Milan.
In a nail-biting quarterfinal clash, Team USA edged out Sweden 2–1 in overtime to punch their ticket to the Olympic men’s hockey semifinal. The game, played in Milan, was a defensive battle until the final moments — and then pure chaos.
After a scoreless first half, the Americans broke through late in the second period when Jack Hughes fired a wrister that was deflected by Dylan Larkin, slipping past Swedish goalie Jakob Markstrom to give the U.S. a 1–0 lead.
Sweden dominated possession in the third, peppering Connor Hellebuyck with shots. Their persistence paid off with just over a minute left, as Mika Zibanejad buried a one-timer from Lucas Raymond to tie the game and force overtime.
In the 3-on-3 sudden-death period, the Americans missed their first five chances — until Quinn Hughes rang a shot off the inside post and across the line, sealing the win and sending the U.S. to the semifinals.
“It was a battle all night,” Hughes said. “We just kept pushing and finally got the bounce we needed.”
“It was a battle all night,” Hughes said. “We just kept pushing and finally got the bounce we needed.”
The semifinal matchups are now set:
- USA vs Slovakia
- Canada vs Finland
Both Canada and Finland rallied from deficits to win their quarterfinals in overtime, making three of Thursday’s four games go beyond regulation.
The winners will advance to the gold medal game on Sunday, which coincides with the 46th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice — a fitting backdrop for another potential chapter in U.S. hockey history.
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